Hardwired Smoke Alarms Question

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The Great Sarducci

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Detroit, MI. USA
Hi,

I just recently upgraded all of the smoke alarms in my house to a hardwired interconnected system (I wasn't in any situation where this was required to be brought up to this standard. I just wanted to make my home safer for my wife and I). I'm fairly familiar with the location requirements, and should have had all bases covered. However, I'm curious if I can pick somebody's brain who is also familiar with the requirements, as I did run into one issue. To begin, my home is a ranch with a finished basement. To my knowledge, the basement level typically only requires one smoke alarm near the bottom of the stairwell. I of course went beyond this, and installed one in each of the rooms down there. The problem is that my basement also contains a spare bedroom. I figured that even though the basement may usually only require just the one unit, that in my case it may therefore also be required that the basement bedroom also got one. Unfortunately this was the one room in the entire house I had to omit. As soon as I started drilling into the ceiling, I found out that nearly everywhere I tried to go was directly below a mass of heating ducts that are hidden above the finished drywall ceiling. To make matters worse, after I had made about 7-8 holes trying to find a clearing to mount my smoke and start fishing the Romex; I made the grizzly discovery that the whole damn time I was drilling into the ceiling and every time I had hit a duct, that I was also drilling right into a bunch of asbestos pipe wrap that seems to be around every single duct (this is all hidden by the ceiling, but probably should have known better to look out for that, being that my house was built in 1941). So after hitting nothing but ducts for a good half hour, all while increasing my chances of future lung cancer, I decided the hell with putting a hardwired smoke in the basement bedroom.

Long story short, and to the point of why I'm posting this thread;
Does anybody know if a basement bedroom would normally be treated with the same smoke detector requirements as a typical bedroom on the main floor? I'm somewhat confused by the apparent contradiction between the "one in every bedroom", and "only one required in the basement" requirements when there's a case such as mine where one of the rooms in the basement is designated as a bedroom. I'm just wondering if I'm going to have to install one in the basement bedroom regardless so that I don't get bit during a future home inspection when I decide to sell. Also, if it turns out that I DO have to install one in there, does there exist an exception where in this room only, I could get away with only installing a lone standard battery-powered smoke, given my situation where it turns out that it's virtually unfeasible (and downright dangerous) to attempt to install an interconnected smoke in that room.

I'm sorry for making this thread so long, when the answer that I need is really fairly simple. For those who may have read some of the other threads in the past, you may already know that I have a habit of rambling on a bit. But, I just wanted to make sure to paint as complete a picture of my situation as possible. If anybody has any info that could help settle my confusion, I'd certainly appreciate it. Thanks.
 
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The rules vary but from your description it sounds to me like you will need one in the basement bedroom and likely in the open basement area as well.
 
The Great Sarducci said:
Hi,



. Also, if it turns out that I DO have to install one in there, does there exist an exception where in this room only, I could get away with only installing a lone standard battery-powered smoke, given my situation where it turns out that it's virtually unfeasible (and downright dangerous) to attempt to install an interconnected smoke in that room.
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Yes there is an exception. Existing dwelling. Pop in a battery one.

R314.4

Exception
2.Interconnection and hard-wiring of smoke alarms in existing areas shall not be required where the alterations or repairs do not result in the removal of interior wall or ceiling finishes exposing the structure, unless there is an attic, crawl space or basementavailable which could provide access for hard wiring and interconnection without the removal of interior finishes.
 
Jumper,

Thanks for providing me with the code exception. That definitely helps me out, and clears everything up. I'll definitely be popping in one of the old-fashioned battery-powered smokes for that room.
 
While we're on the topic; do any of you guys know of, or have any recommendations for a good high-temp rated smoke detector that is designed for high-temperature environments? While working on this project, I had the idea of adding one or two attic smoke detectors to be a part of the overall interconnecting chain. I'm also aware that your average run of the mill smoke detector cannot handle environments anywhere near as hot as the ceiling of an attic in July. But all the same, it's still something I'd be interested in adding on later if I can find one that is going to be reliable and not get baked. I've googled this on a few different occasions, but usually only find results for heat-rise type sensors, and not actual smoke alarms. I'd be okay with this if it's all that's really available. But it seems like a heat-rise sensor would be a bit more flaky and might end up nuisance tripping in a hot attic. What do you guys think?
 
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Bob,

Thanks for the info. I actually wasn't aware of it being a requirement to install one in the basement main living space, but luckily I already did so anyway. I guess my overkill job paid off on that account. What I ended up doing was put one at the bottom of the staircase, one in the main finished space, one in the unfinished laundry room, as well as a CO alarm near the furnace. Now I'll just have to go back and put in the stand-alone battery smoke in the bedroom and I should be all set.
 
The Great Sarducci said:
While we're on the topic; do any of you guys know of, or have any recommendations for a good high-temp rated smoke detector that is designed for high-temperature environments? While working on this project, I had the idea of adding one or two attic smoke detectors to be a part of the overall interconnecting chain. I'm also aware that your average run of the mill smoke detector cannot handle environments anywhere near as hot as the ceiling of an attic in July. But all the same, it's still something I'd be interested in adding on later if I can find one that is going to be reliable and not get baked. I've googled this on a few different occasions, but usually only find results for heat-rise type sensors, and not actual smoke alarms. I'd be okay with this if it's all that's really available. But it seems like a heat-rise sensor would be a bit more flaky and might end up nuisance tripping in a hot attic. What do you guys think?
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Smoke alarms are not listed for use in attics. Even Kidde's heat alarm goes at 135°F which is well within the normal temperature you might see in an attic in the summer. For this type of system, you really can't put a heat alarm in the attic. Low voltage systems can use devices listed for ~194 - 200°F.
 
Jumper,
The attic is not habitable, and know that it wouldn't be required. It's just one of those things that would make for a safer system should a fire start in the attic. This is also partly of interest to me as my attic is insulated almost entirely with blown-in cellulose. I know that it isn't considered to be 'flammable', but it definitely will burn. Either way though, it's definitely not something I have to have up there. I was more or less just curious how likely it would be to find something that would work.

Gadfly,
Thanks for your response. It sounds like it probably will not be something that I can really do then. After not ever really finding anything online that looked too promising, I started to assume as much. No big deal though. If nobody else has them, then the benefit of having sensing units in the attic can't be all that significant.
 
I have installed them in unfinished attics, in Virginia. Yes, even though the manufacturer (Kidde) says not above 100 °F.

The only false alarm I am aware of was in an old house on a very foggy morning. Like Kidde says, fog will set them off.

But I have not installed hundreds in attics, my sample group is maybe 20, so YMMV. :D
 
Chamuit said:
http://www.nfpa.org/public-education/by-topic/smoke-alarms/installing-and-maintaining-smoke-alarms

Go to the section titled "Installing smoke alarms"

You can delve deeper on the site if you'd like.
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Say, thanks for the link man. This ref. material will surely come in handy at some point in the future when I'm doing another hardwired smoke detector install, and scratching my head and saying; "Now what in the heck did they say I was supposed to do again? Hmm.. Twist Black and White wire together?? Shoot". Thanks again.
 
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